On Wednesday the New Orleans Hornets won the Anthony Davis Sweepstakes and in doing so opened a can of worms.
Some NBA executives are very unhappy about the still NBA owned team — soon to be owned by Tom Benson, owner of the Saints — and the fact they did indeed get the number one pick in the NBA Draft. That’s the fact that has many in the league riled up according to Adrian Wojnarowski:
“It’s such a joke that the league made the new owners be at the lottery for the show,” one high-ranking team executive told Yahoo! Sports. “The league still owns the Hornets. Ask their front office if new owners can make a trade right now. They can’t. This is a joke.”
Another quote:
“I bet I could get my owner to tank if I knew the chance of getting the No. 1 pick was 100 percent,” an NBA team president said in an email.
New Orleans Hornets had a 13.7% chance of winning and most importantly didn’t end their 2011-2012 season by tanking. They ended their season with dignity, it seems to be more jealousy from other lottery teams more than anything else.
There’s always next year, Charlotte.
David Stern has done this pathetic behind closed door of the draft ballot stuffing for decades of his rule of NBA kingdom.His smile makes me sick.If this wasn’t rigged they would not be hidden away for only a handful to see.To me watching the ping balls live for the world to see would be a ratings bonanza and then I would not not think this process wasn’t a mobster(capo Stern) related event.
Nice way of helping out the worst team ever and best player ever who made the NBA a fortune, MJ’s bobcats. NOT.!!!!!
MJ please take Michael Kidd with the second pick.Nothings for sure but I saw something in this wildcat teammate of the #1 pick that just might be really special .Stern you can just go away to your crooked pathetic kingdom of retired mobdom and rot .You will find out they will no longer need you and some crabpot may have your name on it.
@joe packer:
u poor little sole, let me ask u wud u have been hollaring about conspiracy theories had ur charlotte pussycats won the lottery, i doubt it. what about in 2008 when the chicago bulls had a lil more than +1.0% of landing the #1 pick , and won it ( Derrick Rose ). what about the year Lebon-bon decided to abandon his home town, cleveland, i believe they recieved the #1 pick that year, but i didnt hear any1 complaining. So Please Do Society A Favor & Shut The F#ck Up! THANKS
I could care less about the bobcats,I’m a fan of basketball and am sick of the dirty dealing behind closed doors,if no cheating then show the ping live,hiding this ??? so Stern can dictate who gets the players where he wants them,wake up check the history,its rigged
@ Matthew Cooper
Well, couple issues. You are correct on the bulls having a 1% chance of it happening, but occasionally shit like that happens. First issue, that Clevland pick for Kyrie was originally the Clippers pick. Clevlands actual pick was 4th the year after they lost Lebron, but because the Clips suck they got the first also. Second, neither of those teams were owned by the NBA at the time of the lottery. Is this all happenstance, perhaps, but when you add it to the league denying a trade for Paul to go the the Lakers, WHICH WAS THE BETTER TALENT TRADE for the Hornets. Then approve a trade to the Clips, which brought in more younger talent to make the team more appealing to potential investors.
Is it all a coincedence, perhaps. It does seem to be a lot of things lining up however, and Stern does have a history of these coincedences happening just when they need to.
@ John
So what if the Cleveland pick for Kyrie belonged to the Clippers originally or if neither team was owned by the NBA? The fact that the draft lottery is held in PRIVATE means Stern can rig it any way he wants. Your points lead to no logical conclusion that the draft lottery is straight.
The fix has been going on all year. Why is the NBA, ESPN and the Heat trying to revive the league. I’m sick of the referee’s missing elbows being thrown by LeBraun and company and nothing happening but any other player caught looking a the ref get a “T” called on them. Then ESPN doesn’t want to talk about it. The Heat is not the best team out there and the NBA needs to quit pushing it on everyone. People wouldn’t think there’s a problem if things weren’t blantly pushed in our faces!
Children should not be allowed to play with their parents computers, Matthew. I also could care less about the Bobcats, but things are looking bad. When you have players openly tweeting about the draft, and openly questioning the happenings of it, then you kind of have to raise an eyebrow. It’s almost like they’re not even trying to hide the corruption anymore. Quite sad is what this is.
I’ve said for years that it makes no sense to have this “lottery” in the NBA. The 1st overall pick should be awarded to the team with the worst regular season record, ala the NFL. Then there is no question of who should get the pick. I also personally think it’s time for David Stern to retire from the Commissioner’s seat. He no longer holds the respect of NBA fans, players or coaches. And the”respect” he has from the owners is not genuine… they few him only as tool of Few of his owner cronies. The next NBA commissioner should be someone like Larry Bird or Brad Daughtery. And their first two major actions need to be eliminating the lottery and shortening the playoffs.
The Hornets did not “tank” their games! They won the lottery fair square!
the nba stopped careing about the game! all the big names win and the true talente gets cheated! david sterns can burn in hell! dumb wanna be! go home! portland hates you.
With respect, you just sound like a sore loser. Your Trail Blazers had a decent year. Other than the Oden fiasco, you have no reason to win the lottery.